I wanted Kemba, but at this point it seems like a lockout is likely, in which case I don't mind the Jonas pick. I've read a couple articles where people think he can end up being the best player in this draft class down the road, and I think it's a definite plus that he'll be playing pro ball and continuing to develop while there's a lockout. On top of that, with a roster that's virtually unchanged from last year, we can tank for another high pick next year. Now I'm hoping that BC looks over the undrafted players, and brings in a guy like David Lighty. Seems like he can be a solid role player in the NBA to me.

The Raptors website had a live chat and it was a disaster. 90% hating the pick. It was terrifically funny, but at the same time a little nauseating.

Problems with the draft pick:
-white
-Euro (like Aruajo (SA but who cares, his name is foreign)
-like Barney (in spite of the fact he is the anti-Barney)
-BCSUCKSFIREHIMIWANTTOWINNEXTYEARANDONLYBEMEDIOCREB UTNOTAPOSSIBLECONTENDER!

It's pretty funny people hating on this pick, BC and thinking that next season will be crap. Isn't this good for you? BC makes what you think is a bad pick, meaning we'll stay a bad team, and BC will more likely be let go eventually. Isn't that what you want? Instead of being mediocre next year with another pick, we may get another top 5 in a better draft, then get Jonas over and he may be a great pick. And if BC is fired, you can delight in the irony that he stocked this team with talent and got screwed.

Setting aside the obvious flame bait (Raptor fans have every right to be immediately queasy on "European Talent"), what happened to playing to win? This pick assures us, that barring a miraculous trade, we do not improve next season. By virtue of ineligibility we do not add talent to the worst defense in the league. We do not address our atrocious perimeter shooting. And most importantly we do not instill faith that the organization and those within it have the fans best interest at the fore in their decision making process.

BryCo had to know this wasn't going to fly with a growing number of disgruntled fans. How does this address lack luster season ticket sales? How does this revitalize the brand and evoke passion in it's fan base? How does this jive with the hype hung on Soloman Alabi's shoulders last season.

BryCo made this decision based on the optics that he was on a short leash and that when management applied pressure his "pick the best talent on the board matra" would shrivel.

This pick does the most for the long term prospects of the organization. How can you be disappointed with that? Colangelo refused to take the safe route, which is usually the road to mediocrity. Raptor fans, who have had to suffer with 16 years of mediocrity, should be THRILLED about that.

The last thing Colangelo needs to worry about is how ignorant Raptor fans who know very little about basketball (outside of Toronto) feel.

The Raptors weren't going to compete next year, and no pick was going to make that much of a difference in the win column, anyway. Complaining that the team doesn't get immediate help is short-sighted and, quite frankly, pretty ignorant.

Brandon Knight immediately addresses; our turnstyle back court, our perimeter shooting, is able to play first day back from arbitration.

Plus I bet his 4.3 in leisure studies means he can conduct an interview without the aide of the iPhone's lithuanian phrase book

But is Knight going to be the better player? To me, that's the only question that matters. And I'm not convinced that Knight will be much more than Bayless. He's not a real PG and it usually takes years to learn that position, if at all.

Long term prospects of what? An as yet untested center that may or may not show in the last year of both the Coaches and General Managers contracts.

A bird in hand yaddy yaddy ya....

Ignorant to what exactly? What massive secret is being held that apparently only the righteous are privy?

We are weak at the point, 2 options were available. We failed to address that need. We are weak at the forward positions and we failed to meet that need as well.

First of all, the Raptors AREN'T weak at the point. Calderon and Bayless are not ideal, but they certainly are fine for the time being. And we don't even know if Knight even can play the point guard position. He certainly didn't show it in college.

And that "untested" center certainly has played well in that professional league over in Europe, where he's done very well. Maybe that's where the ignorance comes in.

No one's arguing that he can make trades, he just can't make good trades. But the actual act of making them, I'd put him top 3 in the game and just barely behind two teenagers with a NBA 2k11 franchise.

First of all, the Raptors AREN'T weak at the point. Calderon and Bayless are not ideal, but they certainly are fine for the time being. And we don't even know if Knight even can play the point guard position. He certainly didn't show it in college.

And that "untested" center certainly has played well in that professional league over in Europe, where he's done very well. Maybe that's where the ignorance comes in.

First of all, you are categorically wrong.

Second of all, he's done precisely fuck all for the Raptors and will continue to for months to come.